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| Depiction of Jacob's Ladder," from the Bible (Genesis 28:10-12) of a ladder or staircase reaching from earth to heaven with angels ascending and descending. |
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
The bible contains stories people of faith and vision who had glimpses beyond the veil of this world. Each journey was unique, yet their stories weave together a powerful tapestry of divine glory, awe, and transformation.
Enoch walked so closely with God that one day, he vanished from the world, taken straight into paradise, spared the common fate of death. Elijah, too, soared on a chariot of fire into the heavens, a remarkable sign of God's favor and power.
As Stephen was being stoned to death, he saw the heavens open and Jesus standing at God's right hand. The impression is that Stephen was being welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven. The Spirit empowered Stephen to witness faithfully until his death, making him the first Christian martyr.
The Apostle John saw heaven opened like a door and heard the worship of countless angels surrounding the throne of God. The colors, sounds, and visions transcended human words. The Apostle Paul’s experience of the “third heaven,” a realm beyond earthly and sky heavens, left him humbled and strengthened, though he chose silence over boasting.
Despite such profound encounters, these witnesses were often reluctant or unable to fully describe what they saw. The glory was too overwhelming, the holiness too pure, and human language too limited. Their visions were often symbolic, prophetic, and partly veiled in mystery—meant not just to marvel at, but to strengthen faith, warn, and inspire holy living.
Yet, each who saw heaven was forever changed. Their encounters deepened their faith, filled them with courage, humility, and a renewed calling. They bore witness to a realm where God's justice reigns, holiness shines, and ultimate hope is found. They walked away with a conviction that earthly trials are temporary, and God's eternal kingdom is supreme.
Lessons and Morals:
- True vision of heaven invites awe and reverence, recognizing God's holiness beyond earthly comprehension.
- Prophetic visions often carry divine messages urging faithfulness, courage, humility, and perseverance amid hardship.
- The experience of heaven transforms the heart, encouraging a focus on eternal realities over temporary struggles.
- Words fall short in describing divine mysteries; humility in sharing spiritual insight is a mark of true spiritual depth.
- Hope of heaven should inspire righteous living, confident trust in God's sovereign plan, and perseverance in faith.
The Greatest Mystery
Heaven remains so mysterious and glorious that it defies our imagination and description. Even biblical visionaries struggled to convey its fullness, speaking of overwhelming light, radiant glory, and divine otherness—realities that words and images cannot capture. While painters across history have labored to portray the heavenly realm, using gold, supernatural light, and idealized figures to suggest divine majesty, every canvas is ultimately limited by earthly materials, human imagination, and cultural understanding. These artworks point to spiritual truths and inspire longing, but they necessarily fall short of the true beauty, holiness, and perfection of God’s dwelling place. The greatest art can only gesture toward heaven's awe, reminding us that faith rests not in what can be depicted, but in the promise of a reality greater than anything we can see or conceive.
Eye Witness Accounts
People who claim to have died, gone to heaven, and returned often describe leaving their bodies and moving through a dark tunnel toward a radiant, loving light. They report encountering a beautiful, peaceful place filled with vibrant colors, gardens, and an overwhelming sense of love and acceptance, sometimes meeting beings of light or deceased loved ones. Many feel freed from pain and physical limits but are told it’s not yet their time, so they return to life with a renewed sense of purpose. These experiences emphasize a loving divine presence, eternal peace, and reunion beyond human understanding.
My Personal Vision
At my mother-in-law's funeral I had a heavenly vision that blew my mind and overwhelmed me with emotion. The assurance that I felt was unlike anything I have ever experienced and it has never left me.
Conclusion:
In some sense, I think it is this motivation to understand and commune with our Creator that drives the entire bible. It is sad to think that this world is all there is. We want to believe that we are more the body and that our soul has a future. A vision of heaven give us hope.
In Joshua 2:17-21, the prostitute Rahad hides the spies in Jericho. She is told to put a scarlet cord (a Tikva in Hebrew) out her window during the Battle of Jericho so Joshua (Yehoshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ), meaning "Yahweh saves" or "The LORD is salvation") could find and rescue her and her family. The scarlet cord was her hope that Joshua would return for her. The story of Rabad at Jericho is the first time we find the word "hope" (Tikva) in the bible.
The journeys into heaven recorded in scripture remind us that God's divine realm is both magnificent and mysterious, radiant with holiness and full of hope. Though few can grasp it fully, these glimpses assure believers that beyond life's trials awaits a kingdom prepared by God Himself. The stories inspire a life lifted above fear and doubt—rooted in the certainty of God’s eternal presence. Faith thus becomes a bridge between earthly shadows and heavenly light, inviting all to walk in hope, strengthened by the vision of the divine.
1 Corinthians 2:9 (ESV) -- "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."